Knitting needle



June 27, 1944.

DE HART G. SCRANTOM KNITTING NEEDLE Filed Aug. 25, 1943 IN VEN TOR. 0. G. sc/gfl/rrom H 7'7'0R/YE Y Patented June 27, 1944 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE KNITTING NEEDLE De Hart G. Scrantom, Maplewood, N. 1., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 25. 1943, Serial No. 499,877

3 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting needles and has for its object the provision of new and improved knitting needles.

In applying knitted insulation to wires, knitting needles having hooks on the ends thereof and latches pivotally mountedto the needles adiacent to the hooks are often used. Heretofore, the latches have been secured in a slot in the needles by pins passing through the needles and one end of each of the latches. This construction of the needles has not been entirely satisfactory because the pins tend to work out of the v needles slightly so that they often catch the threads during the operation of the knitting machine and thereby cause false stitches to be produced in the knitted product.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a knitting needle of the type employed in applying knitted insulation. to wires includes a needle having a hook, at one end thereof, a pivoted latch adjacent thereto, and a retainer for the latch comprising a ball seated in openings in the latch and in the body of theneedle.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a knitting needle embodying the invention; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the needle shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the needle taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2.

In accordance with the preferred construction,v

a knitting needle embodying the invention comprises a shank III. which has a hook I I formed on one end'thereof and a slot l2 formed therein at the base of the hook. Sides l4 and I5 having identicalbores l8 and I9, respectively, formed therein bound the slot l2. -A latch 20 having a bore 2| formed in the lower portion thereof is pivotally secured to the hook II by a ball bearing 22 whose diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bore 2| through which it passes, but is considerably larger than the diameters of the bores l8 and I9 which are equal.

t when such parts become worn.

The latch 20, the bearing 22 and the hook H are assembled by inserting the bearing 22 into the bore 2|, springing the sides I and I5 sufficiently apart to permit the lower end of the latch 20 and the bearing 22 retained therein to be inserted in the slot l2 with the. bearing aligned with the bores l8 and I9. may then be released and pressed back to secure the bearing 22 in the bores I8 and I9. If it is desirable to remove the latch 22 from the slot l2, this may be accomplished by reversing the procedure just described. I

The above mentioned construction provides, a simple and sturdy knitting needle which is inexpensive to construct and assemble, and eliminates any parts which might catch the thread What is claimed is:

1. A knitting needle comprising a shank having a hook at one end thereof and provided with openings at the baseof the hook, a latch having an opening therein, and a retainer for pivotally securing the latch to the needle comprising a ball'secured within the openings formed in the latch and the needle.

2. A knitting needle comprising a shank having a slot formedtherein and a hook at one-end thereof, and also being provided with-bores in the sides of the slot; a latch having a bore therein and positioned within the slot with the bore therein aligned with the bores in the shank, and means to pivotallysecure the latch to the shank comprising a ball seated in the bores formed in the shank and positioned in the bore formed in the latch.

3. A knitting needle comprising a shank having a hook at one end thereof and also having a slot formed therein adjacent to the hook and aligned bores connecting with the slot, a latch having one end positioned in the slot in the shank, said end. having a bore ther'ethrough in alignment 1 with the bores. in' the shank and a ball positioned The sides I4 and I5 

